Ginseng
by porcelaindakota
Summary: 50 ZukoIroh sentences, prepared for the 1Sentence LJ community. It's like ginseng for the soul. [not incest]


1: Walking. In Iroh's mind, Ba Sing Se was supposed to be symbolic for him and his nephew, a chance to turn away from the Fire Nation, to walk away and cut their losses; in retrospect, it was anything but.

2: Waltz. "This is stupid," Zuko mutters, just 12 years old, but at the look on his uncle's face, he bites the inside of his lip and once again lets Iroh lead him through the steps.

3: Wishes. Zuko rolls over, away from his uncle's questioning eyes: _I just want to go home. _

4: Wonder. That night, after the loss to Azula at Ba Sing Se, Iroh sits, broken in his damp cell, and wonders where he went wrong, where he lost his nephew.

5: Worry. It is the great Siege of the North, a military feat of staggering power and force, history in the making, and yet the only thing on Iroh's mind is a lone form moving among the icebergs.

6: Whimsy. Zuko is only six when Iroh drags him, soaking wet and tiny chest heaving with exertion, from the palace lake, demanding what possessed him to leap headfirst into it from the bridge above; "It looked like fun," Zuko gasps back, eyes bright.

7: Waste/Wasteland. The scents of blood and smoke hang in the air, carnage lies strewn across the dismantled wall, but in his pocket, the Dragon of the West's hand clutches a letter from home, the only respite from this waking nightmare.

8: Whiskey and rum. Even as the sounds of Zuko's retching echo throughout the ship, Iroh cannot help but chuckle at his nephew's first encounter with the less forgiving spirits.

9: War. Sometimes Zuko feels like they are trapped in the middle of things bigger than them, besieged on all sides: nowhere is safe.

10: Weddings. "Congratulations," Iroh says, his voice hearty and fake, but Ursa puts her hand to her stomach worriedly: "We need to talk."

11: Birthdays. He pretends he doesn't notice Iroh gathering up the incense and his cousin's picture, but when he finally leaves for his 'picnic', Zuko watches him from the window until he has disappeared from sight (_happy birthday, Lu Ten, _he thinks).

12: Blessing. To Iroh, the newborn is a bundle of warmth, heat wrapped in soft pink skin, golden eyes and a crown of soft downy hair.

13: Bias. "But Uncle, this war is good for the Fire Nation!" he says, zeal and naiveté shining in his golden eyes.

14: Burning. On the pyre, flames consume Iroh's body, smoke curling into the air; Zuko pulls his cloak tighter and walks away, wind whipping at his heels.

15: Breathing. It is rattling and weak, diseased and dying, but Zuko comforts himself in the fact that it is still there.

16: Breaking. Iroh looks back as he is being led away by the Dai Li, but when Zuko avoids his eyes, he swears he can feel his heart breaking.

17: Belief. Zuko knows the crew whispers when they think he isn't looking—_his father will never take him back—_but he doesn't give them the pleasure of knowing he doesn't believe it either.

18: Balloon. They both stare in awe, enraptured, as the war balloon bobs overhead, a splash of red in a soft blue sky.

19: Balcony. On a late walk through the ship, Iroh is startled by the sudden illusion of a flash of blue, a figure somewhere above him; but in the next moment it is gone, and impulse and destiny seems to command him not to tell, even days later when he sees the wanted posters.

20: Bane. "Uncle," he rasps, and the voice is raw and unnatural and _pleading_, hanging heavy in the silence, but Iroh is staring so hard at the bloodied bandages that he doesn't hear it.

21: Quiet. Iroh thrives on moments like these: he and his nephew, alone, with just the flicker of flame between them in the silence.

22: Quirks. Zuko remembers for the rest of his life, long after he is crowned, just how Iroh took his tea.

23: Question. "What did father decide?" Zuko asks, and wonders why his uncle won't look at him.

24: Quarrel (follow up to 33). It is simply a moment, a flash of anger, and for that one second Iroh loses all patience and the truth comes surging out: Zuko backs away from him, looking as if he has been slapped.

25: Quitting (companion to 15): Finally, sensing his consent is needed, the Fire Lord clutches his uncle's cold hand tight in his, the bottom dropping out of his voice: "It's okay if you want to go now."

26: Jump. _Oh, Zuko, _he thinks, running, as the figure of an idea, of Avatars and truces, forms in his head, _why couldn't you have just jumped?_

27: Jester. "Well," Iroh says as Zuko throws the mirror to the ground, "we could always get you an eye patch."

28: Jousting. Iroh had known what was coming, had known _who _Zuko was going to have to fight—but he thought it better to stay silent, not to worry him (_and he still doesn't regret it). _.

29: Jewel. The pearls have faded, their luster and shine long gone, but Iroh sees it on his nephew's hilt and remembers, visions of a general and a wall, and of the young firebender who wore the dagger before Zuko

30: Just. After Ba Sing Se, Zuko has nightmares, some about the Avatar, but more about his father and his sister, and what they would do to him if they knew what he was doing behind their backs.

31: Smirk. "The Avatar," Zuko says, lips curling, and Iroh shudders at the glimpse of Ozai he sees within.

32: Sorrow. "Uncle," he whines, pulling on Iroh's robes with one hand, the Pai-Sho set clutched in the other, but Iroh shakes his head, eyes never wavering from the specter of his dead son.

33: Stupidity. Iroh loses sleep at night, wondering why his nephew cannot understand the simple truth, that Ozai doesn't love him, and that neither of them can ever go back.

34: Serenade. The ride on the ostrich-horse is already uncomfortable and bumpy, and Iroh's loud, off-tune chorus of "The Girls from Ba Sing Se" certainly makes it worse.

35: Sarcasm. "I'm going to pretend I never saw that," Zuko mutters, and all Iroh can do is smile.

36: Sordid. Even years after the fact, it is difficult for Zuko to close his ears to the dark rumors that seem to whirl around the memory of his mother.

37: Soliloquy. "I'm sorry," comes the whisper in the dark, and his hands clutch Iroh's dead ones, so tight it hurts.

38: Sojourn. After the Agni Kai, Iroh doesn't tell Zuko he knows where he disappears to every night, but simply hides the mirrors instead.

39: Share. "You already said you didn't want any—Zuko, that's appalling—Zuko, _get your own tea!"_

40: Solitary. After Ba Sing Se, they are separated, Zuko hiding in his room for hours, and Iroh confined to a dank cell underground—_but it's good, it's best this way, _they both think.

41: Nowhere. "Uncle, we've been floating in circles for days, let me try to—Uncle, that's just childish—_Uncle, give me the map!"_

42: Neutral. As he slips on the green and brown robes, Zuko cannot get over the fact that an entire race of people wears nothing but the same dull colors.

43: Nuance. On the surface, Ozai and Iroh are not brothers, not related at all; Zuko himself doesn't believe until he watches, really _watches_, and sees the similar habits, the way that they both walk, the other mannerisms they both share—it makes him wonder if he shares them as well.

44: Near. Like other souls, they eternally circle each other, are reborn around each other, swirling together from one life to the next, wherever fate calls them (_always together)_

45: Natural (companion to 44). It's another time, almost a millennium later, and yet it feels completely natural, almost exactly the same, even though this time they are father and son (but weren't they before?)

46: Horizon. They sit, not speaking, watching together, as the driftwood floats further and further and finally the North Pole fades from sight.

47: Valiant. It's the night of Sozin's comet, the end of the war, and there's just one more guard between them and the throne room.

48: Virtuous. Zuko cannot help but wonder if there are other people like his Uncle in the world, or if he has just somehow been granted the privilege of knowing the only one.

49: Victory. They all hear the shout and watch the flames in the lanterns fall eerily still, and Iroh falls to his knees, prostrating himself before his nephew: "Hail Fire Lord Zuko!"

50: Defeat. Iroh lets out a strangled cry as the flames explode from Ozai's fingertips, but Zuko never hears it; he's too far gone.

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My very first one sentence set, and on the whole, it got a pretty good review. Hope you guys like! (I'm working on a Zuko/Suki set now. Just for giggles).

-sugarland


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